Bimodal symmetric fission observed in the heaviest elements

Journal Article · Mon Jan 27 00:00:00 EST 1986 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.56.313· OSTI ID:6095263

Hulet, E K; Wild, J F; Dougan, R J; Lougheed, R W; Landrum, J H; Dougan, A D; Schadel, M; Hahn, R L; Baisden, P A; Henderson, C M

We measured the mass and kinetic-energy partitioning in the spontaneous fission of /sup 258/Fm, /sup 259/Md, /sup 260/Md, /sup 258/No, and /sup 260/(104). All fissioned with mass distributions that were symmetric. Total-kinetic-energy distributions peaked near either 200 or 235 MeV. Surprisingly, these energy distributions were skewed upward or downward from the peak in each case, except for /sup 260/(104), indicating a composite of two energy distributions. We interpret this as a mixture of liquid-drop-like and fragment-shell directed symmetric fission, although theory had not anticipated this phenomenon.

• Research Organization: University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6095263
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Vol. 56:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
FERMIUM 258
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MENDELEVIUM 259
MENDELEVIUM 260
NOBELIUM 258
ENERGY SPECTRA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HALF-LIFE
LIQUID DROP MODEL
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MEV RANGE 100-1000
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FERMIUM ISOTOPES
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MICROSEC LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
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NUCLEAR MODELS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
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ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
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652026* - Nuclear Properties & Reactions
A=220 & above
Experimental- Spontaneous & Induced Fission- (-1987)